On the eve of their inauguration, President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect, Kamala Harris held a memorial for the victims of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.
Four hundred lights around the Lincoln Memorial's reflecting pool were lit on Tuesday, 19 January, evening in honour of the 400,000 people in the US who have lost their lives.
The Washington National Cathedral funeral bell was tolled 400 times – once for every 1,000 people. The bells rang for 40 minutes straight.
"If there are any angels in heaven, they're all nurses. We know from our family experience what you do. The courage. The pain you absorb for others. So, thank you. Thank you," Biden said, thanking frontline workers.
“To heal, we must remember,” Biden continued, “It’s hard sometimes to remember, but that’s how we heal. It’s important to do that as a nation.”
"For many months, we have grieved by ourselves. Tonight, we grieve and begin healing together. Though we may be physically separated, we the American people are united in spirit,” said Harris.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)